A Love Story, by a Bushman by - (classic literature books TXT) đ
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a precaution, some quarantine would not be imposed. The superintendent
of quarantine was rowed alongside, chiefly for the purpose of regulating
this. The spirited little commander of the yacht, however, was not at
all desirous of any such arrangement; and after some energetic appeals
on his part, met by cautious remonstrances on the part of the other,
their pratique was duly accorded.
During the discussion with the superintendent, Sir Henry had enquired
from the health officer, as to where he should find George, and was
informed that his regiment was quartered at Floriana, one of Vallettaâs
suburbs. In a short time a boat from the yacht was lowered, and the
commander prepared to accompany the government courier with his
dispatches to the palace.
Previous to leaving the deck, he hailed a boat alongsideâaddressed the
boatmen in their native languageâand consigned Sir Henry to their
charge. Twilight was deepening into night as Delmé left the vessel. The
harbour had lost much of its bustle; lights were already gleaming from
the town, and as seen in some of the loftiest houses, looked as if
suspended in the air above. Our traveller folded his cloak around him,
and was rowed swiftly towards the shore.
Chapter VII.
The Young Greek.
âBut not in silence pass Calypsoâs isles,
The sister tenants of the middle deep.â
*
âHer reign is past, her gentle glories gone,
But trust not this; too easy youth, beware!
A mortal sovereign holds her dangerous throne.
And thou mayst find a new Calypso there.â
Night had set in before Sir Henry reached the shore. The boatmen, in
broken, but intelligible English, took the trouble of explaining, that
they must row him to a point higher up the harbour, than the landing
place towards which the commanderâs gig was directing its course, on
account of his brotherâs regiment being quartered at Floriana. Landing
on the quay, they took charge of DelmĂ©âs portmanteau, and conducted him
through an ascending road, which seemed to form a part of the
fortifications, till they arrived in front of a closed gate. They were
challenged by the sentinel, and obliged to explain their business to a
non-commissioned officer, before they were admitted.
This form having been gone through, a narrow wicket was opened for their
passage. They crossed a species of common, and, after a few minutesâ
walk, found themselves in front of the barrack. This was a plain stone
building, enclosing a small court, in the centre of which stood a marble
bason. The taste of some of the officers had peopled this with golden
fish; whilst on the basonâs brim were placed stands for exotics, whose
fragrance charmed our sea-worn traveller, so lately emancipated from
those sad drawbacks to a voyage, the odours of tar and bilge water.
On either side, were staircases leading to the rooms above. A sentry was
slowly pacing the court, and gave Delmé the necessary directions for
finding Georgeâs room. DelmĂ©âs hand was on the latch, but he paused for
a moment ere he pressed it, for he pictured to himself his brother lying
on the bed of sickness. This temporary irresolution soon gave way to the
impulse of affection, and he hastily entered the chamber. George was
reading, and had his back turned towards him. As he heard the footsteps,
he half turned round; an enquiry was on his lip, when his eye caught
Henryâs figureâa hectic flush suffused his cheekâhe rose eagerly, and
threw himself into his brotherâs arms.
Ah! sweet is fraternal affection! As boys, we own its just, its
proper influence; but as menâhow few of us can lay our hands on our
hearts, and in the time of manhood feel, that the thought of a
brother, still calls up the kindly glow which it did in earlier
years. DelmĂ© strained his brother to his heart, whilst poor Georgeâs
tears flowed like a womanâs.
âAh, how,â he exclaimed, âcan I ever repay you for this?â
The first burst of joyful meeting overâSir Henry scanned his brotherâs
features, and was shocked at the apparent havoc a few short years had
wrought. It was not that the cheekâwhose carnation tint had once drawn
a comment from all who saw itâit was not that the cheek was bronzed by
an eastern sun. The alabaster forehead, showed that this was the natural
result, of exposure to climate. But the wan, the sunken featuresâthe
unnatural brilliancy of the eyeâthe almost impetuous agitation of
mannerâall these bespoke that more than even sickness had produced the
change:âthat the mind, as well as body, must have had its sufferings.
âMy dear, dear brother,â said Henry, âtell me, I implore you, the
meaning of this. You look ill and distressed, and yet from you I did not
hear of sickness, nor do I know any reason for grief.â George smiled
evasively; then, as if recollecting himself, struck his forehead. He
pressed his brotherâs arm, and led him towards a room adjoining the one
in which they were.
âIt were in vain to tell you now, Henry, the eventful history of the
last few months; but see!â said he, as they together entered, âthe
innocent cause of much that I have gone through.â
Sir Henry Delmé started at the sight that greeted him. The room was
dimly lighted by a lamp, but the moon was up, and shed her full light
through part of the chamber. On a small French bed, whose silken linings
threw their rosy hue on the face of its fair occupant, lay as lovely a
girl as ever eye reposed on.
The heat had already commenced to become oppressive; the jalousies and
windows were thrown open. As the night breeze swept over the curtains,
and the tint these gave, trembled on that youthful beauty; Delmé might
well be forgiven, for deeming it was very long since he had seen a
countenance so exquisitely lovely. The face did indeed bear the stamp of
youth. Delmé would have guessed that the being before him, had barely
attained her fifteenth year, but that her bosom heaved like playful
billows, as she breathed her sighs in a profound slumber. Her style of
beauty for a girl was most rare. It had an almost infantine simplicity
of character, which in sleep was still more remarkable; for awake, those
eyes, now so still, did not throw unmeaning glances.
Such as these must Guarini have apostrophised, as he looked at his
slumbering love.
âOcchi! stelle mortale!
Ministri de miei mali!
Se chiusi mâuccidete,
Aperti,âche farete?â
Or, as Clarendon Gage translated it.
âYe mortal stars! ye eyes that, eâen in sleep,
Can thus my senses chainâd in wonder keep,
Say, if when closed, your beauties thus I feel,
Oh, what when open, would ye not reveal?â
Her beauty owed not its peculiar charm to any regularity of feature; but
to an ineffable sweetness of expression, and to youthâs freshest bloom.
Hafiz would have compared that smooth cheek to the tulipâs flower. Her
eye-lashes, of the deepest jet, and silken gloss, were of uncommon
length. Her lips were apart, and disclosed small but exquisitely formed
teeth. Their hue was not that of ivory, but the more delicate though
more transient one of the pearl. One arm supported her headâits hand
tangled in the raven tressesâof the other, the snowy rounded elbow was
alone visible.
She met the eye, like a vision conjured up by fervid youth; when, ere
our waking thoughts dare to run riot in beautyâs contemplationâsleep,
the tempter, gives to our disordered imaginations, forms and scenes,
which in after life we pant for, but meet themânever!
George put his finger to his lips, as DelmĂ© regarded herâkissed her
silken cheek, and whispered,
âAcmĂ©, carissima mia!â
The slumberer startedâthe envious eye-lid shrouded no more its lustrous
jewelâthe wondering eyes dilated, as they met her loverâsâand she
murmured something with that sweet Venetian lisp, in which the Greek
women breathe their Italian. But, as she saw the stranger, her face and
neck became suffused with crimson, and her small hand wrapped the snowy
sheet round her beauteous form.
Sir Henry, who felt equally embarrassed, returned to the room they
had left; whilst George lingered by the bedside of his mistress, and
told her it was his brother. Once more together, Sir Henry turned
towards George.
âFor Godâs sake,â said he, âunravel this mystery! Who is this young
creature?â
âNot now!â said his brother, âlet us reserve it for to-morrow, and talk
only of home. AcmĂ© has retired earlier than usualâshe has been
complaining.â And he commenced with a flushed brow and rapid voice, to
ask after those he loved.
âAnd so, dearest Emily will soon be married. I am glad of it; you speak
so well of Gage! I wish I had stayed three weeks longer in England, and
I should have seen him. We shall miss her in the flower garden, Henry!
Yes! and every where else! And how is my kind aunt? I forgot to thank
her when I last wrote to DelmĂ©, for making FidĂšle a parlour inmate!âand
I donât think she likes dogs generally either!âAnd Mrs. Wilcox! as
demure as ever?âDo you recollect the trick I played her the last April
I was at home?âAnd my favourite pony! does he still adorn the
paddock, or is he gone at last? Emily wrote me he could hardly support
himself out of the shed. And the old oakâhave you railed it round as I
advised? And the deerâIs my aunt still as tenacious of killing them? I
suppose Emilyâs pet fawn is a fine antlered gentleman by this time. And
your charger, Henryâhow is he? And Mr. Sims? and the new green house?
Does the aviary succeed? did you get my slips of the blood orange? have
the Zante melon seeds answered? And the daisy of DelmĂ©, Fanny Porterâis
she married? I stole a kiss the day I left. And so the coachman is dead?
and you have given the reins to Jenkins, and have taken my little fellow
on your own establishment? And Ponto? and Ranger? and my friend Guess?â
Here George paused, quite out of breath; and his brother, viewing with
some alarm his nervous agitation, attempted to answer his many queries;
determined in his own mind, not to seek the explanation he so much
longed for, until a more favourable period for demanding it arrived. The
brothers continued conversing on English topics till a late hour, when
Henry rose to retire.
âI cannot,â said George, âgive you a bed here to-night; but my servant
shall show you the way to an hotel; and in the course of to-morrow, we
will take care to have a room provided for you. You must feel harassed:
will nine be too early an hour for breakfast?â
It was a beautiful night, still and starry. Till they arrived in the
busy street, no sound could be heard, but the cautious opening of the
lattice, answering the signal of the guitar. Escorted by his guide,
Delmé entered Valletta, which is bustling always, even at night; but was
more than usually so, as there happened to be a fĂȘte at the palace. As
they passed through the Strado Teatro, the soldier pointed out the
Opera-house; although from the lateness of the hour, Rossiniâs melodies
were hushed. From a neighbouring café, however, festive sounds
proceeded; and Delmé, catching the words of an unfamiliar language,
paused before the door to recognise the singer. The table at which he
sat, was so densely enveloped in smoke, that it was some time before he
could make out the forms of the party, which consisted of some jovial
British midshipmen, and some Tartar-looking Russians. One of the Russian
officers was charming his
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